Officials hail 'difficult but productive' meeting, stress 'more work' ahead as Ukraine, US conclude peace deal talks in Florida
Editor's note: This is a developing story and will be updated.
Ukrainian delegates concluded their meeting with U.S. officials in Florida on Nov. 30 as both parties continued negotiations on the Washington-backed peace plan aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
A Ukrainian delegation led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, at Witkoff's private gold club in Hallandale Beach, north of Miami.
In a press briefing following the meeting, Rubio called the meeting "very productive," adding that the talks focused on both the terms to end the war as well as Ukraine's "long-term prosperity."
"I thought we started laying the groundwork in Geneva. I think we continued that work in our communications throughout the week. I think we've built on that today, but there's more work to be done," Rubio told reporters.
"This is delicate, it's complicated, there are a lot of moving parts, and, obviously, there's another party involved here," Rubio added, referring to Russia.
In a post on social media, Umerov said after the meeting that Kyiv had achieved "substantial progress in advancing a dignified peace and in converging our positions with the American side" following a "difficult but productive round of negotiations."
"Our key objectives - security, sovereignty, and a reliable peace - remain unchanged and are shared by the American side," he added.
Umerov briefed President Volodymyr Zelensky via phone call following the meeting.
In a post on social media following the call with Umerov, Zelensky wrote that he was "grateful to America, President Trump’s team, and the President personally for the time being invested so intensively into determining the steps needed to end the war."
Neither delegation immediately provided specific details on the outcomes of the negotiations.
Despite previously urging the delegations to come to a peace agreement by Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, following the talks, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he did not have a deadline for a peace deal to come to fruition.
Amid the talks, a source with direct knowledge of the negotiation told CNN that the conversations were "tough but very constructive." The source added that the talks included discussion of some of "the most sensitive issues" surrounding a peace deal. "So far so good," they concluded.
One of the most contentious elements in the original 28-point U.S. peace proposal reportedly involved requiring Ukraine to give up its constitutionally enshrined goal of joining NATO — a longstanding Russian demand and a red line Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.
According to CNN, a different scenario is now being discussed. A source familiar with the talks told the outlet that negotiators have explored "a possible scenario in which Ukraine would effectively be barred from joining the U.S.-led Western military alliance via arrangements that would have to be negotiated directly between NATO member states and Moscow."
Axios reported, citing undisclosed Ukrainian sources, that the talks were dominated by discussion on the line of territorial control between Ukraine and Russia. One of the sources described the meeting as "intense but not negative."
Ahead of the meeting, Umerov wrote on X that he was "in constant contact with the President of Ukraine."
"We are working to secure real peace for Ukraine and reliable, long-term security guarantees," he added.
Umerov is expected to meet Zelensky in Paris on Dec. 1 to provide a more detailed report on the talks, Axios reported.
The talks are built off the recent negotiations in Geneva, where U.S., Ukrainian, and European representatives worked to revise the original 28-point proposal — a plan that initially demanded sweeping concessions from Kyiv in line with Moscow's maximalist demands.
Talking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Rubio said the end goal is to secure a peace deal "that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity."
Sitting across from Rubio, Umerov expressed gratitude to Trump and the American people for the 10-month effort to end Russia's invasion, adding he is "looking forward to have a successful, productive meeting today."
The talks come as Ukraine is grappling with one of the most explosive political crises in recent years, with President Volodymyr Zelensky's top advisor, Andriy Yermak, resigning amid a major corruption investigation.
Yermak, Zelensky's long-term ally and regarded as the most powerful chief of staff in Ukraine's history, was expected to lead the negotiations before announcing his resignation on Nov. 28.
Ukrainian negotiators also include Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia, Ambassador Olha Stefanishyna, Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov, and Deputy Head of Military Intelligence Vadym Skibitskyi.
Ukraine and the U.S. have not fully disclosed the revised peace agreement reached in Geneva, which is said to have eased some of the harshest conditions imposed on Kyiv, with some issues still to be ironed out in subsequent talks.
The Kremlin has confirmed receipt of the proposal agreed on in Geneva, while Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow this week to continue negotiations with the Russian side.
An unnamed U.S. official told Axios that the White House aims to resolve two key outstanding issues with Ukraine: territory and security guarantees. Witkoff and Kushner reportedly hope to finalize discussions with the Ukrainian side before presenting the result to Putin on Dec. 2.
Witkoff, who was heavily involved in presenting the original peace plan, faced heightened scrutiny after a leak reportedly caught him coaching a Russian official on how to sway the White House.
The Wall Street Journal further reported on Nov. 28 that Witkoff and Russian officials have been promoting a "peace through business" approach to diplomacy for months, hoping to entice Trump with lucrative mineral deals and investment partnerships in exchange for helping Russia's economy emerge from isolation.
Speaking before the talks in Florida, Zelensky noted that the "American side is demonstrating a constructive approach, and in the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end."
The Ukrainian president also held a phone calls with world leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb — who maintains a friendly relationship with Trump.
"We discussed the situation in diplomacy and share a common view on the key issues," Zelensky wrote on social media following his talks with von der Leyen.
Kyiv has repeatedly called for increased international pressure on Moscow to force it to accept a ceasefire. Just hours before the talks began, Zelensky announced Ukraine is synchronizing its sanctions regime with Washington's sanctions targeting Russia's Lukoil and Rosneft energy giants.
Russia, meanwhile, continues to reject a ceasefire and presses its maximalist demands, including international recognition of its occupation of Ukrainian territories and the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas.
